Voltz: Candidates on high-speed rail

Editor,

Nothing has energized the Peninsula in recent years like the controversy over high-speed rail. Now we are in the midst of a hotly-contested campaign for governor, and little has been said about the major differences between Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown on high-speed rail.

Meg Whitman said, "The state cannot afford the costs associated with high-speed rail due to our current fiscal crisis."

Jerry Brown, on the other hand, said that "As governor I will accelerate planning and construction of high-speed rail in California."

A clear choice - and one that can make a real difference. More than any other elected official, the California governor "runs the train" on high-speed rail. He or she appoints five of the nine members of the HSR Authority and must approve its annual spending plans.

Peninsula voters need to have their voices heard in this important election.